


It's the end of the world as we know it

by shanimalew



Series: Fictober 2020 [5]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Crowley's Name is Crawly | Crawley (Good Omens), Doubts and Questioning, Gen, Light Angst, M/M, Noah's times, Pre-Relationship, Usual contrast with God
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:33:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26838277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shanimalew/pseuds/shanimalew
Summary: An Angel and a Demon have an interesting conversation on Noah's ark. No, it is not the start of a bad joke, but maybe it is the start of something else...[Fictober 2020, Day 5]
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Fictober 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947211
Kudos: 6





	It's the end of the world as we know it

**_Prompt 5 Sea_ **

_ “God’s a bit tetchy. Wiping out the human race. Big storm” _

_ “All of them? Not the kids, you can’t kill the kids” _

_ “...” _

_ “Well, that’s more the kind of thing you’d expect my lot to do” _

_ “Yes, but when it's done the Almighty's going to put up a new thing, called a 'rain bow' as a promise not to drown everyone again” _

_ “How kind” _

It didn’t take long for God to act out her plan after his conversation with Aziraphale ended. He still couldn’t quite believe it. Humans were her favourite creation and she decided to just...kill all of them. And then what? She’d create more and act as if nothing happened?

Well, now that he thinks about it, it’s more likely than he thought. She always loved to play, first with them, now with the humans, and in the future with newly created and manipulable humans.

Crawley shakes his head, mumbling swear words as he looks around him. 

The water has now arrived at his calves and people are starting to realise it is not a usual storm, which means they are starting to freak out, badly. Some have started crying while others are running away, hordes of horses and carriages bringing families away from the land.

_ If only this was something you really could escape _ , Crawley thought to himself, looking at people putting their children on horses and pushing them away.  Some are kneeling on the floor, praying the same God that is putting them through this misery to help them.

The fucking irony.

He looks away harshly, trying to stop the tears that he has not from falling.

At the corner of his eye he sees Noah’s ark as he is closing it, people pleading him to open the doors while others are desperately trying to climb its walls.

It’s a pathetic scene, he has to admit. He’d laugh at their misplaced hope and desperation if he didn’t feel a weight on his heart.

He wonders where Aziraphale has gone, leaving him after dropping the bomb on him. He looks up to the top of the Ark and smiles.

Of course he has gone to the centre of the action, to the “chosen ones”, the only humans God deemed salvageable. 

He snaps his fingers, teleporting himself on the Ark. He looks at the land below, thinking of doing something crazy, like teleporting all the humans on the Ark and leaving Noah, his family and bloody Aziraphale on the land. That’d be so fun, the epitome of demon’s work, the ultimate 'fuck you' to God.

But he knows his lot wouldn’t buy his gesture as anything more than compassion, something a demon should not feel, so he gives up on the idea. He morphs himself into a snake and looks around for a place to hide.

He doesn’t know for how long he sleeps, hidden inside a bale of hay, but apparently it is not enough. He wakes up, slithering outside the barn, and feels rain on his skin. The sky still looking as grey and menacing as the day it all started.

It is night, the moon barely lighting the sea. Crawley transforms back into his human form, stretching a bit his arms, legs and torso. He likes his snake form, but it is a nightmare for his bones.

“I knew you were on board! I felt your nefarious presence as soon as we boarded” a voice behind his back hisses, but Crawley doesn’t immediately turn around, finishing up his stretching.

“You can always throw me off” he says as he turns around with a wicked smile.

Aziraphale is looking at him with a shocked expression as if he couldn’t fathom doing such a gesture.

_ Do it,  _ Crawley wants to tell him,  _ it’s not like your God is above killing. _

Aziraphale opens his mouth to reply, no doubt saying something like “How dare you, Crawley! I would never kill, I am an angel! And angels are pure and innocent, although we did cast you away and tear off your wings and eyes, but we are pure light and kindness!”. But he could be slightly off, he hasn’t had the chance to interact with the angel that much…

However, Aziraphale immediately closes his mouth, studying him for a while before saying: “You are upset”

Now it’s Crawley’s turn to be indignant by the angel’s insinuations.

“How dare you, I am not upsssset!” he hisses, turning around to look at the stormy sea. On the surface he sees a toy float, anger bubbling inside of him.

“It’s okay, you can talk to me. But let’s go inside, it is pouring out here”

_ And whose fault is that? _

Crawley looks at him, alternating venomous expressions with others of stupor. Was the angel that naive?

“Are you seriousss? If I go inside those people will throw me off the ship, letting me die together with thousands of innocent people. I’m fine in the rain, you can go. Leave me alone”

“I understand you are upset with the Almighty’s actions. I must confess, I find myself quite perplexed, but we have to remember her plans are-”

“Say that bloody word and I swear I’ll throw you off-board” Crawley says, briefly looking at Aziraphale in the eye before returning to focus on the sea.

He hears his companion sigh defeated. Crawley is ready to smile triumphantly when he sees Aziraphale standing closer to him, looking at the sea. His smile fades away, replaced by a frown.

“What are you doing?”

“Keeping you company. This journey is hard enough without having to spend it all alone”

“I don’t need your pity”

“It is not pity, It’s-”

“Mercy, pity. It’s the same. I don’t need it”

After that the angel shuts up, much to Crawley’s pleasure. But his satisfaction doesn’t last long, the ache in his heart returning with increased strength. He looks at the horizon but sees nothing. Just water, and thunders, and more water.

He hasn’t seen such a boring scenery since the last time he was back in Hell.

Satan, how he hates that place.

“I used to like the sea” he says after a while, “Thanks for ruining also that for me”

“It is not my fault, Crawley” Aziraphale replies, however Crawley can hear the regret in his voice, “This event doesn’t have to taint your appreciation for the sea, I’m sure you’re going to enjoy a nice swim in no time”

“How will I when all I can think about is poor children drowning with their families? When I can still hear the screams for those trying to climb the sides of this ark? Tell me, how can you easily enjoy a nice swim knowing your God killed people with that same water?” Crawley says, voice increasing in intensity with each word.

“Why are you so concerned with these people’s lives? Aren’t you happy all these sinners’ souls are coming to Hell? Instead of throwing accusations you should be grateful to God for making your job easier” Aziraphale replies, keeping his voice low, but the indignation was clear.

Crawley doesn’t know how to reply. Because the angel is right. He should be thrilled of all this suffering, but how come all he can think about is how sad he feels?

“What can I say, Azzziraphale. I love doing my job” he says, sarcasm dripping from each word.

“You love asking inappropriate questions, that’s what”

Crawley wants to laugh.  _ If only the angel knew how much he liked them… _

“And you never wanted to ask? Not necessarily something major, but something. Anything.”

“I don’t have to, I know God will show me whatever I need to know in due time. It’s all about faith”

“It’s all about faith” Crawley repeats, mocking Aziraphale’s voice. 

The angel just shakes his head but says nothing.

“You can’t judge others for having faith just because you don’t have any. Just as I don’t judge you for not being good”

“How can you, though? And I’m not just talking about this stunt right here. These little humans’ lives are full of pain. They suffer illnesses, they die. How can you believe in something that created all these bad things?”

"You see these things as something bad, when in reality they are the testament of God's biggest gift: mortality. It's only by knowing their time on earth is limited that they can appreciate everything they have and live life to its fullest. And sufferings strengthen humans' spirits. Is through suffering that they can be better and do good to others"

"Bollocks. Suffering doesn't make anyone better. It's just a stupid excuse your lot makes to feel better about the shitty things they throw at humans"

"Agree to disagree" Aziraphale murmurs, a gentle smile on.

He usually liked Aziraphale's smile, but today it makes him sick. All he can see is the condescending smile of bullies who think they can decide for the lives of others. 

Where is the angel he met on the wall? The one who gave Adam his sword to keep Eve and the baby warm?  Now he doesn't look that different from all the other angels he met in his existence.

He scoffs, turning his face away from the angel.

"Did your Almighty tell you when this madness is going to be over?" He asks, returning to neutral topics. No need to incriminate himself for a common angel.

He has to remember he is alone, both on Earth and in Hell. Always and forever. It was stupid of him to get an interest in an angel just because of a small conversation. He can't trust angels.

"No, she has not" he says, shifting his stance, "But I have faith it will end soon"

Crawley rolls his eyes.

"As I suspected" he says, lifting himself off the side of the ark.

"Where are you going?" Aziraphale asks.

"I've got no interest in giving God the satisfaction of seeing me anxiously waiting for her grace. I'm going to sleep this stupid thing off and then get as far away from this ship and family as possible. Goodbye, Aziraphale"

Aziraphale doesn't answer, looking at Crawley as he shifts back into his snake form and slithers away.

Only then he allows himself to whisper "Goodbye", before looking up.

"I have faith in you, you know I do. I trust every action, every order you give us but why? Why make them imperfect and then make them suffer because of it?" 

As soon as the question leaves his mouth he feels a shiver pass through him. He widens his eyes, surprised at his boldness.

"That wily serpent. Planting the seed of doubt in me, making me question my job. I will not stand for that!" he says, huffing before returning inside to Noah and his family.

After exactly forty days from the start of their journey, the storm stops. Abruptly the skies clear and the rain ceases, replaced by the most beautiful thing Aziraphale as ever seen.

"So this must be the rain bow God talked about" he murmurs to himself, as Noah's family cheers and thanks God's mercy.

The rainbow absorbs all the attention, making everyone forget about the struggles they had to face for forty days. 

As Noah lets each couple of animals out, he sees a single serpent slither out rapidly. As soon as it is far from the ark, and from indiscreet eyes, Aziraphale sees Crawley return to his human form.

He knows their last conversation was not a pleasant one, but somehow, a small part of him wished for the demon to say goodbye to him, before leaving the ark.

He immediately tries to bury this nonsensical desire, helping Noah and his family out of the ark.

However, he finds himself looking multiple times at the spot Crawley was, wishing for...he doesn't really know what for. Just to see the demon, maybe.

And if he spends the entire time trying to find ways to meet him again creating discourse after discourse in his mind, well, that's just between him and his fervid imagination.

Distant from the Ark and the chaos it brought to the land Crawley walks, looking at the vast expanse of nothingness. He imagines if the Apocalypse is going to make the Earth look like this, wet land with broken trees and destroyed houses.

He looks around, making sure nobody is looking at him or at his direction, before snapping his fingers. 

To his right a tree appears, flourishing like nothing else. As it grows into itself, an apple appears at the end of one of its branches. Crawley smirks, then walks away.

A new cycle has begun.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Leave kudos and comments if you liked it! <3


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